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Council opens three annexation public hearings for industrial park parcels, tables ordinances after resident raises data-center ownership concerns
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Summary
The council opened public hearings on three annexation ordinances for parcels in the John T. Griffin Industrial Park and tabled the ordinances to Feb. 24; a resident raised questions about who ultimately owns the parcels and whether foreign ownership raises national-security concerns.
The Muskogee City Council opened public hearings on three ordinances (Nos. 42 48 A, 42 49 A and 42 50 A) that would annex parcels adjacent to the city limits in the John T. Griffin Industrial Park, then voted to table each ordinance to the Feb. 24 meeting.
City staff said the three petitions are related and create contiguous property needed to reach a third parcel. Owners named in staff materials include the Port Authority, Ferdinand Technologies, and a Harold C. E. Fuel Trust (staff apologized on the record for any mispronunciation). Staff recommended taking public input and tabling the ordinances so related items can be considered together on Feb. 24.
Michael Gregg, a resident who asked to speak during the hearing, said he was concerned about media reports linking the land and related projects to outside investors. Gregg cited press accounts he said connect YZY Capital and other entities to site purchases and raised national-security and due-diligence questions. He urged the city to confirm who owns the parcels and whether foreign ownership is involved.
City staff member Ms. Scott (identified in the meeting as a staff representative) addressed Gregg’s questions and said Ferdinand Technologies is doing business as Headwaters, and that the Port Authority had sold property to YZY in earlier transactions before that parcel was sold to Headwaters; she said county records appeared to be out of date and that staff would provide additional ownership documentation to the council.
After public input and staff remarks the council moved to table each ordinance to Feb. 24 and approved the tabling by roll call vote. Council members said they want staff to provide clearer documentation of parcel ownership and to answer the resident’s questions before the next hearing.
The tabling preserves the public-hearing record while allowing staff time to assemble related documents and to present the items together on the Feb. 24 agenda.
